Shire of Carpentaria

Fronting the Gulf of Carpentaria to the north-west and forming part of Australia's northern boundaries, the Shire of Carpentaria is a Local Government Area in the Far North Queensland Region, approximately 2,302 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, the state capital. The community is sparsely populated with its estimated population of 2,149 residents over a 64,372.7-square-kilometre area. Among its main industries are agriculture and fishing.

The Shire of Carpentaria was first established as the Carpentaria Division in January 1883 from part of the former Doonmunya Division, and later becoming a Shire in March 1903 following the passage of the Local Authorities Act of 1902. The LGA takes its name from the Gulf of Carpentaria, which itself was named in honour of Pieter de Carpentier, a Belgian-born administrator of the Dutch East India Company.

With the town of Normanton as its Council Seat, the Shire of Carpentaria is represented in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland by the Electoral Districts of Cook and Mount Isa, and by the Federal Division of Kennedy in the Australian House of Representatives. The community's other localities include Fielding, Howitt, Karumba, Maramie, Savannah, Stokes, and Yagoonya. It is bordered by the Local Government Areas of Burke, Cloncurry, Cook, Croydon, Kowanyama, McKinlay, and Tablelands.

The Shire of Carpentaria features a number of local attractions that express its outback ambience courtesy of its cultural, historical, and natural heritage. Some of the most popular events and sites in the LGA that residents and visitors alike can appreciate, include the Barramundi Discovery Centre, Fred Pascoe Fishing Bridge, Norman River, Normanton Barra Competition, and Savannah Queen Charters and Cruises.